Копи царя Соломона
Our March into the Desert
AnyhowIdonotremember,exceptingononesingleoccasion,everputtingupabetterprayerinmylifethanIdidduringthatminute,andsomehowIfeltthehappierforit. Ourfuturewassocompletelyunknown,andIthinkthattheunknownandtheawfulalwaysbringamannearertohisMaker.
"Andnow,"saidSirHenry,"trek!"
Sowestarted.
WehadnothingtoguideourselvesbyexceptthedistantmountainsandoldJosédaSilvestre’schart,which,consideringthatitwasdrawnbyadyingandhalf-distraughtmanonafragmentoflinenthreecenturiesago,wasnotaverysatisfactorysortofthingwithworkwith. Still,oursolehopeofsuccessdependeduponit,suchasitwas. IfwefailedinfindingthatpoolofbadwaterwhichtheoldDommarkedasbeingsituatedinthemiddleofthedesert,aboutsixtymilesfromourstarting-point,andasfarfromthemountains,inallprobabilitywemustperishmiserablyofthirst. Buttomymindthechancesofourfindingitinthatgreatseaofsandandkarooscrubseemedalmostinfinitesimal. EvensupposingthatdaSilvestrahadmarkedthepoolcorrectly,whatwastheretopreventitshavingbeendriedupbythesungenerationsago,ortrampledinbygame,orfilledwiththedriftingsand?
